Author: BBC

Secret documents show a scramble to safeguard critical public services from the potential collapse of tech giant Atos, which works with billions of pounds worth of government contracts.Files seen by the BBC show work has been underway with consultants since January, aiming to limit “severe implications” to essential services by lining up alternative IT providers.The UK government outsources IT services, including for NHS records and disability benefits, to the French IT giant’s UK arm, which admitted being more than £3bn in debt in April and is now undergoing financial restructuring.The risk-assessments, first reported by i news, show the Cabinet Office…

Joey Barton has apologised to Jeremy Vine and agreed to pay him £75,000 in damages for making defamatory comments on social media.A High Court judge ruled last month that comments former footballer Mr Barton made about BBC presenter Mr Vine on X were defamatory.Mr Barton said in a statement on Tuesday that he apologised “for the distress” suffered by Mr Vine, who sued him for libel and harassment over 14 online posts. He said he had agreed to pay the damages and legal costs to resolve the claims.In the statement shared on X, Mr Barton wrote: “Between 8 and 12…

57 minutes agoBy Jemma Crew, BBC NewsEPAMr Putin gifted Mr Kim – a car enthusiast – a Russian-made Aurus car during his visitA Russian-made limousine, tea set and artwork are among the gifts exchanged by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.Mr Putin was welcomed to North Korea with a lavish ceremony marking his first visit to the country in almost a quarter of a century.He was met with smiles and hugs from leader Mr Kim, while stallions, balloons and huge posters of the two leaders adorned the surrounding buildings in Pyongyang, with a tea party and gala concert…

1 day agoBy Mitchell Labiak, Business reporterGetty imagesOne of the rainiest springs on record boosted warm soup sales while denting those for sun cream, new figures suggest.The wet weather caused the slowest monthly increase in grocery sales in two years as people were “put off from popping to the shops”, according to research firm Kantar.The cost of living also played a role in the decreased spending, with nearly a quarter of households surveyed by the company saying they were still struggling.However, Kantar also recorded a big jump in financially “comfortable” households because of slowing price rises and predicted a boost in spending…

1 hour agoBy Joe Tidy, @joetidy, Cyber correspondent, BBC World ServiceBBCThe hackers’ logo as it appears on their darknet websiteThe cyber-criminals responsible for causing major disruption at London hospitals say they are “sorry” for all the harm caused but are “not to blame”.The ransomware gang spoke to the BBC on encrypted chat service qTox attempting to justify the attack as a form of political protest.Qilin, which has a well established record of attempting to extort money, claims in this instance it carried out a cyber-attack as revenge for the UK government’s actions in an undisclosed war.Experts are sceptical, however, with Jen Ellis, from…

18 hours agoBy Tom Richardson, BBC NewsbeatNintendo”It’s dangerous to go alone!” – Nintendo heroine Zelda will be going solo in Echoes of Wisdom Nintendo has announced that Princess Zelda is to star in her own game.For the past 40 years she’s lent her name to one of the Japanese gaming giant’s most popular series.But the Legend of Zelda series has cast players as Hylian hero Link. That’s all about to change with Echoes of Wisdom, the new title revealed at the company’s Nintendo Direct preview stream.During a short trailer fans saw Link being swallowed by a supernatural portal, leaving the princess behind.The…

A huge fire broke out at an ammunition depot in Chad, causing major explosions that lit up the sky for about half an hour overnight.Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said the blaze happened at a military depot in the Goudji area of the capital, N’Djamena.He told French media the cause of the fire was accidental and while the death toll had yet to be established, there were “fewer deaths” than had been feared.Video footage showed blasts lighting up the night sky, with witnesses saying they could be heard miles away.The weapons depot in Goudji is the country’s main arsenal and is…

20 hours agoBy Charlotte Edwards, BBC Business ReporterReutersDave Calhoun, chief executive of Boeing, will face US lawmakers on TuesdayBoeing’s chief executive Dave Calhoun will tell US lawmakers on Tuesday that he understands concerns about its safety culture after a mid-air emergency in January raised alarm.In prepared remarks ahead of the US Senate sub-committee hearing, he said: “Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress. We understand the gravity.”The company has been in the spotlight since an unused door fell off a brand new 737 Max plane during a flight operated by Alaska Airlines, leaving a gaping…

Charlie Jones/BBCChloe Ward became homeless after years of drinking but has now turned her life aroundA third of 11-year-olds in England have drunk alcohol, a recent study by the World Health Organization found.Chloe Ward had her first drink at that age and alcohol dominated her life for the next decade.She was kicked out of home in Royston, Hertfordshire and ended up living in a car.Two years ago, the now 23-year-old moved to Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney, a former convent where she lives and works with 30 other people who were also previously homeless.Here, in her own words, she explains her…

A central London cinema has cancelled a private screening of a film which was entirely written using artificial intelligence (AI) following a public backlash.The Prince Charles Cinema in Soho was due to host the world premiere of The Last Screenwriter, which was created by ChatGPT, on Sunday.However, when concerns were raised by people about “the use of AI in place of a writer”, the cinema announced that the screening had been axed.In a statement shared on Instagram, it said the response by its customers “speaks to a wider issue within the industry”.Created by Peter Luisi, the movie has been marketed…